China's Dayang-95 ocean expedition team recently departed from Shenzhen Cruise Home Port in Guangdong Province, embarking on a four-month mission to survey seafloor sulfide deposits in the southwestern Indian Ocean. The expedition marks China's latest effort to assess mineral resources in its sole International Seabed Authority-designated exploration zone.
Coordinated by the China Deep Ocean Affairs Administration and led by the Second Institute of Oceanography, the mission features 36 researchers from 13 institutions. They will deploy domestically developed deep-sea equipment including autonomous underwater vehicles and high-precision sensors to conduct three-dimensional mapping of hydrothermal vent ecosystems.
"This expedition represents a leap in China's deep-sea exploration capabilities," said a project spokesperson. "Our focus extends beyond resource assessment to understanding how mineral extraction might impact marine biodiversity." The team will collect data to support environmental protection frameworks while evaluating the commercial potential of polymetallic sulfides used in clean energy technologies.
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China's Dayang-95 expedition sets sail for Indian Ocean survey
cgtn.com